WTO rules on huge plane dispute

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has given its long-awaited ruling on the biggest trade dispute in its history.

The decision, which is officially confidential, is over whether the European Union gave illegal subsidies to planemaker Airbus as the US argues.

The Wall Street Journal and others reported that the WTO had found in favour of the US position.

But a UK government source told the BBC that the WTO verdict was much more of a "mixed outcome".

"The decision really questions the wisdom of taking this to the WTO in the first place," the UK source said.

"Boeing will be far from jubilant tonight."

Both US and European diplomats have declined to officially release the ruling, which is more than 1,000 pages long.

The decision is not expected to be officially made public for at least several months.

Partially upheld?

The EU has also made a counter claim against the US for its support of Boeing. A ruling on the EU's claim against the US is due in the next six to eight months.

The ruling on Airbus comes after five years of deliberations.

Other US news reports had suggested that subsidies from Brussels were illegal under world trade rules.

US Representative Norm Dicks, who was briefed by US trade officials, told the Associated Press that the WTO ruling confirms the original complaint by the U.S. from 2004.

"For many years we have contended that direct financial assistance from the European governmental partners of Airbus has represented an unfair launch subsidy that has allowed Airbus to increase its market share in the large civil aircraft market and to steal US aircraft manufacturing jobs," he said.

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